







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| That's nice, the cupboards look good, the bench is okay... | |
| I don't want to stay in this house anymore! | |
| It's impossible for me to commute from zone-9 to 1 everyday. | |
| It's £135 per week! | |
| What genre do you listen to? | |
| My friend noted here it is your wedding anniversary! | |
| That's a perfect time to see a house... | |
| I'm sorry to say that no pets are allowed in the house! | |
| Is it big money? | |
| I hope your friends don't mind. | |
| Does anyone else want something to drink? | |
| Well this is how it is... do you want to see upstairs? | |
| No, she is totally fine, thankfully. | |
| Thanks for warning me now, that's very helpful! | |
| But I think that's only for older women. | |
| Really? Sade is one of my favourites, too. | |
| It's not a nice thing to do. | |
| Yes, I think she's great! | |
| I hope he gets well soon. | |
| My rent is monthly, I pay £600 per month. | |